Psychosocial support

Everyday life of LGBTIQ+ persons is full of specific challenges and situations. Minority stress, experiencing systemic oppression and marginalization, inaccessible health care, inequality, lack of supportive surroundings, … are just some of the problems this population faces.
Most people are forced to hide their identity in fear of judgement, discrimination or violence and the pressure to live like this is existent in almost all areas of everyday life; in the family, in school and university, at work, generally in interpersonal relationships and everyday surroundings.

Accepting oneself as an LGBTIQ+ person is a process that can be very intense and is often key to forming an integrative and functional sex and gender identity. To live as oneself fully, be open about one’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity comes with being more exposed to social rejection, violence, disapproval etc.

Additional difficulty is the fact that, compared to other marginalised communities, queer persons usually cannot count on the support within their families. In light of these everyday experiences, LGBTIQ+ persons encounter specific needs for support and counselling.

Psychosocial support, be it through therapy, counselling or some other means of support, can help LGBTIQ+ persons to better deal with stress and emotional difficulties connected with their experiences. Offering a safe and accepting environment allows them to open up and share their thoughts and emotions with someone who understands and supports them. Furthermore, it can empower LGBTIQ+ persons and offer them tools and strategies to deal with day-to-day challenges easier, such as stressful school or work situations, family and friend relationships and others. Through psychosocial support LGBTIQ+ persons can enhance their coping abilities, build their confidence and self-respect and improve their life quality.

Psychosocial support includes:

Here you can find some useful educative materials:

LORI's work in this area so far:

  • Psychological workshops – aimed at empowering the community (since 2001)
  • Free psychological counselling (since 2005)
  • LGBTIQ Support groups (2005), youth support groups (2015), trans support groups (2015-2018)
  • Peer to peer counselling (since 2008)
  • Creating and maintaining a database of LGBTIQ friendly and informed psychologists (since 2008)
  • Publishing brochures for mental health professionals and LGBTIQ persons
  • Lectures for students of psychology at University in Rijeka (since 2001)
  • Educations for mental health professionals and school staff (2005, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2022)
  • Trans forum (since 2008)

Some of LORI's projects in this area so far:

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